Technologies such as microelectronics, micromechanics and biotechnology have created a high demand for structuring and probing specimens within the nanometer scale. Micrometer and nanometer scale process control, inspection or structuring, is often done with charged particle beams. Probing or structuring is often performed with charged particle beams which are generated and focused in charged particle beam devices. Examples of charged particle beam devices are electron microscopes, electron beam pattern generators, ion microscopes as well as ion beam pattern generators.
During manufacturing of semiconductor devices or the like, a plurality of observation steps and sample modification steps are usually conducted. Common systems include an electron beam column for observation, imaging, testing or inspecting of a specimen and an ion beam column for patterning of a specimen or material modification.
In light of the increasing desire to improve the resolution of charged particle beam devices, devices with high energy charged particle beams are desired, for example electron beams with 15 keV and above. Thereby, reliable operation at high voltages and simple and robust mechanical design are to be considered. Further, to increase the throughput of charged particle beam devices in applications such as microelectronics, micromechanics and biotechnology, high beam currents and arraying of emitters at a narrow pitch should also be provided.